Hunan, means "south of the lake", is a province of China, and is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting, the largest lake in the province and the second largest freshwater lake of China. However, the lake is subdivided into several small lakes for reclamation of the agricultural land. Rice is the traditional crop of Hunan. Hunan has a subtropical climate, with mild winters and plenty of precipitation.

Some major tourist destinations in the province are Shaoshan, the village where Mao Zedong was born; Wulingyuan scenic and historic interest area, a world heritage site; Yueyang Pagoda in Yueyang; and Zhangjiajie.